In this study we evaluated the results of midtarsal release and open reduction for the treatment of children with convex congenital foot (CCF) (vertical talus) and compared them with the published results of peritalar release. Between 1977 and 2009, a total of 22 children (31 feet) underwent this procedure. In 15 children (48%) the CCF was isolated and in the remainder it was not (seven with arthrogryposis, two with spinal dysraphism, one with a polymalformative syndrome and six with an undefined neurological disorder). Pre-operatively, the mean tibiotalar angle was 150.2° (106° to 175°) and the mean calcaneal pitch angle was -19.3° (-72° to 4°). The procedure included talonavicular and calcaneocuboid joint capsulotomies, lengthening of tendons of tibialis anterior and the extensors of the toes, allowing reduction of the midtarsal joints. Lengthening of the Achilles tendon was necessary in 23 feet (74%). The mean follow-up was 11 years (2 to 21). The results, as assessed by the Adelaar score, were good in 24 feet (77.4%), fair in six (19.3%) and poor in one foot (3.3%), with no difference between those with isolated CCF and those without. The mean American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society midfoot score was 89.9 (54 to 100) and 77.8 (36 to 93) for those with isolated CCF and those without, respectively. At the final follow-up, the mean tibiotalar (120°; 90 to 152) and calcaneal pitch angles (4°; -13 to 22) had improved significantly (p < 0.0001). Dislocation of the talonavicular and calcaneocuboid joints was completely reduced in 22 (70.9%) and 29 (93.6%) of feet, respectively. Three children (five feet) underwent further surgery at a mean of 8.5 years post-operatively, three with pes planovalgus and two in whom the deformity had been undercorrected. No child developed avascular necrosis of the talus. Midtarsal joint release and open reduction is a satisfactory procedure, which may provide better results than peritalar release. Complications include the development of pes planovalgus and persistent dorsal subluxation of the talonavicular joint. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:837–44

In 12 infants aged under 16 months with unilateral club foot we used MRI in association with multiplanar reconstruction to calculate the volume and principal axes of inertia of the bone and cartilaginous structures of the hindfoot. The volume of these structures in the club foot is about 20% smaller than that in the normal foot. The reduction in volume of the ossification centre of the talus (40%) is greater than that of the calcaneus (20%). The long axes of both the ossification centre and the cartilaginous anlage of the calcaneus are identical in normal and club feet. The long axis of the osseous nucleus of the talus of normal and club feet is medially rotated relative to the cartilaginous anlage, but the angle is greater in club feet (10° v 14°). The cartilaginous structure of the calcaneus is significantly medially rotated in club feet (15°) relative to the bimalleolar axis. The cartilaginous anlage of the talus is medially rotated in both normal and club feet, but with a smaller angle for club feet (28° v 38°). This objective technique of measurement of the deformity may be of value preoperatively

Aims

The Ponseti method is the gold standard treatment for congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV), with the British Consensus Statement providing a benchmark for standard of care. Meeting these standards and providing expert care while maintaining geographical accessibility can pose a service delivery challenge. A novel ‘Hub and Spoke’ Shared Care model was initiated to deliver Ponseti treatment for CTEV, while addressing standard of care and resource allocation. The aim of this study was to assess feasibility and outcomes of the corrective phase of Ponseti service delivery using this model.

Primary subacute haematogenous osteomyelitis (PSHO) of the small bones of the foot is a rare and infrequently considered cause of a limp in children. We describe 11 patients with PSHO, of whom nine were under three years of age, who had a limp with few symptoms. The talus was involved in 36%. Bone scans were positive in all patients and led to localisation of the lesion in two. The radiological features included soft-tissue swelling, an osteolytic lesion in the talus and the calcaneus and a sclerotic appearance of the cuboid and the navicular bones. All patients except one were cured with antibiotics

Congenital convex pes valgus (congenital vertical talus) is a rare condition. We reviewed ten feet in seven patients who had had surgical correction. All had been operated on by the senior author (JF) and the same surgical technique was used throughout, incorporating transfer of the tibialis anterior to the neck of the talus. The mean age at surgery was 31 months and the mean follow-up was nine years (6 to 14). All patients completed a questionnaire and had clinical, radiological and photographic evaluation performed by an independent examiner. None had required further surgery. All but one were satisfied with the result, and had no functional limitations. They all wore normal shoes. The mean ankle dorsiflexion was 17° and plantar flexion 21°. The mean arc of subtalar motion was 27°. All radiological parameters measured were within the normal range, although irregularity of the talonavicular joint was common. No avascular necrosis of the body of the talus was seen. We conclude that the medium-term results of this procedure are very satisfactory

Aims

The aim of this study was to gain an agreement on the management of idiopathic congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV) up to walking age in order to provide a benchmark for practitioners and guide consistent, high-quality care for children with CTEV.

Aims

To identify the minimum set of outcomes that should be collected in clinical practice and reported in research related to the care of children with idiopathic congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV).

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The treatment of tibial aplasia is controversial. Amputation represents the gold standard with good functional results, but is frequently refused by the families. In these patients, treatment with reconstructive limb salvage can be considered. Due to the complexity of the deformity, this remains challenging and should be staged. The present study evaluated the role of femoro-pedal distraction using a circular external fixator in reconstructive treatment of tibial aplasia. The purpose of femoro-pedal distraction is to realign the limb and achieve soft tissue lengthening to allow subsequent reconstructive surgery.

Aim. Case Report presentation of traumatic cartilage loss in a child. Method. We present a case report of a 3-year-old girl who sustained a severe open fracture dislocation of her talus with complete loss of full thickness articular cartilage and subchondral bone over 80% of the talar dome. At presentation there was also a Salter Harris I fracture of the fibular, and an extensive soft tissue defect including absent anterior joint capsule. She required a free anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap to reconstruct this defect. The talar dome defect was treated with a cell-free chondro-inductive implant. This was the first use of this implant in the UK and the first use of such an implant in a child anywhere in the world. Result. At 3 years post-operative, the patient underwent thinning of the ALT flap and trimming of an anterior tibial overgrowth, which was causing impingement. At surgery the talar dome cartilage was looked pristine, with a line representing the tidemark between the original cartilage and the new formed. Biopsies were taken and histopathology performed. This was a rare and difficult case that has achieved a satisfactory outcome at this follow up stage. Conclusion. Cell-free chondro-inductive implants may hold promise for the treatment full thickness articular cartilage defects in children

Aims

The study was undertaken to compare the efficacy of Woodcast splints and plaster-of-Paris casts in maintaining correction following sequential manipulation of idiopathic clubfeet.

Purpose of the study. We describe a new technique of talar dome osteotomy in the treatment of fixed equinovalgus deformity of the foot in patients with Fibular Hemimelia and successfully applied it in two patients. Background. Fibular Hemimelia is a congenital absence or hypoplasia of fibula with associated fixed equinovalgus deformity of the foot. Treatment for this deformity ranges from corrective osteotomy of the tibia, calcaneum to Syme's amputation. Methods. The procedure of talar dome osteotomy is best applied to children before they start to walk. Through a Cincinnati approach, fibular anlage was excised and a talar dome osteotomy performed in the axial plane to correct the valgus deformity of the ankle. Additional procedures if required include corrective osteotomy of the distal tibia to correct remaining foot deformity after the initial correction, and tendo achillis lengthening. The corrected position is then maintained with a K-wire inserted through the calcaneum, osteotamised talus up into the distal tibia. K-wire was removed at 6 weeks and foot position thereafter maintained in an AFO orthrosis with the foot slightly inverted for next 2 years. Two patients diagnosed with fibular hemimelia (Coventry and Johnson type II) underwent correction of their fixed equino-valgus deformity with the above mentioned technique at the ages of 6 and 10 months respectively. AFO orthosis was used for two years and at 5 years of follow-up the deformity has remained corrected in both the ankles. Both these patients are due to undergo limb-lengthening procedures

Aims

We aimed to describe the epidemiological, biological, and bacteriological characteristics of osteoarticular infections (OAIs) caused by Kingella kingae.

Of 23 children (35 feet) with cerebral palsy who had undergone a Grice extra-articular subtalar arthrodesis for a valgus hindfoot between 1976 and 1981, we reviewed 17 (26 feet), at a mean of 20 years (17 years 3 months to 22 years 4 months) after operation. Seven were quadriplegic, eight spastic diplegic, and two hemiplegic. They were all able to walk at the time of operation. Thirteen patients (20 feet) were pleased with the Grice procedure, 13 had no pain and 15 (23 feet) were still able to walk. The clinical results were satisfactory for most feet. Radiography showed that the results had been maintained over time but 14 feet developed a mean ankle valgus of 11° (6 to 18) with a compensatory hindfoot varus in 12 feet. No deformity of the talus or arthritis of adjacent joints was noted. The Grice procedure gives good long-term results in children with cerebral palsy

We performed CT to investigate how treatment may modify the basic skeletal pathology of congenital club foot. Two homogenous groups of patients treated by one of the authors (EI) or under his supervision were studied. The first included 32 patients with 47 club feet reviewed at a mean age of 25 years and treated by manipulation, application of toe-to-groin plaster casts and an extensive posteromedial release. The second included 32 patients with 49 club feet reviewed at a mean age of 19 years and treated by the Ponseti manipulation technique, application of toe-to-groin plaster casts and a limited posterior release. At follow-up the shape of the subtalar, talonavicular and calcaneocuboid joints was found to be altered in many feet in both groups. This did not appear to be influenced significantly by the type of treatment performed. Correction of the heel varus and the increased declination angle of the neck of the talus was better in the club feet of the second group, whereas reduction of the medial subluxation of the navicular was better in the first. There was a marked increase in the external ankle torsion angle in the first group and a moderate increase of this angle in the second group, in which medial subluxation of the cuboid on the anterior apophysis of the calcaneum was always corrected. Equinus was corrected in both groups but three-dimensional CT reconstruction of the whole foot showed that cavus, supination and adduction deformities were corrected much better in the second group

We studied in vivo the talonavicular alignment of club foot in infants using MRI. We examined 26 patients (36 feet) with congenital club foot. The mean age at examination was 9.0 months (4 to 12). All analyses used MRI of the earliest cartilaginous development of the tarsal bones in the transverse plane, rather than the ossific nucleus. The difference in the mean talar neck angle (44.0 ± 8.1°) in club foot was statistically significant (p < 0.001) when compared with that of the normal foot (30.8 ± 5.5°). The difference between the mean angles in the group treated by operation (47.9 ± 6.7°) and those treated conservatively (40.1 ± 7.5°) was also statistically significant. The anatomical relationship between the head of the talus and the navicular was divided into two patterns, based on the position of the mid-point of the navicular related to the long axis of the head. In the operative group, 18 feet were classified as having a medial shift of the navicular and none had a lateral shift. In the conservative group, 12 showed a medial shift of the navicular and six a lateral shift. All nine unaffected normal feet in which satisfactory MRI measurements were made showed a lateral shift of the navicular. Club feet had a larger talar neck angle and a more medially deviated navicular when compared with normal feet. This was more marked in the surgical group than in the conservative group

Conventional surgical treatment of relapsed or neglected club foot deformities is not always successful or easy to apply. The presence of shortened neurovascular structures and unhealthy skin may preclude the surgical interference. Bone resection in severe deformities results in short foot which is not satisfactory functionally and cosmetically. Objectives. In this study we evaluate the use of the bloodless technique for management of relapsed or neglected club foot deformities. Methods. From Jan 2000–2006, 64 cases older than 2 years with relapsed or neglected club foot deformities were referred to our center. Four cases were excluded because of inadequate follow up data. This thesis based on 60 consecutive cases (67 feet). The patients average age was 8 years and 4 months (range, 2–16 years). Seven cases were bilateral, 20 Left sides, and 34 Right sides. There were 57 relapsed club foot (5 bilateral), and 3 cases were neglected (2 bilateral). Patients with relapsed club foot had average 3 previous operations (range, 1–8 operations). There was no preoperative assembling of the apparatus. The construct was designed according to the condition of deformity: equinus, varus forefoot etc. Additional procedures, elongation of tendoachilis was done concomitantly with the original procedure in 10 cases. The patients were discharged from the hospital the same day of the operation. Results. The range of operative time was 1–3 hours with an average of 1.5 hours. Average time in the fixator was 19.6 weeks (range, 10 weeks–38 weeks). After fixator removal cast was applied for 2 months, followed by night splint and special shoes for their daily activities. The average follow-up period was 30.6 months (range, 12–84 months) after fixator removal. The results were good in 55 feet, fair in 9, bad in 3. Complications. All cases suffered from some sort of pin tract inflammation. For 8 cases: one of the wires had to be removed without anaesthesia due to persistent infection. For 3 cases: replacement of wires under general anaesthesia was performed. Oedema developed in the leg and dorsum of the foot or the ankle in 34cases. Frame adjustment under general anaesthesia in 3 cases. There are others such as: migration of the calcanean wire, 2 cases; over correction with valgus heel, two cases; flatfoot, 4 cases; talar subluxationin, 2 cases; talonavicular subluxation, one case; first metatarsophalangeal subluxation, 2 cases; flat topped talus, one case; broken wire, 2 cases and recurrence in 2 cases. Discussion. It seems logic that osteotomy of the tarsus must be carried out whenever skeletal growth of the foot is at such an advanced stage that correction can not be established by means of articular repositioning and remodeling. However, equinovarus deformity of the foot in 65 adults (38 feet) was treated by external fixator without open procedure (Oganesyan et al, 1996). After an average follow-up 10 years, satisfactory results were obtained in all feet except four. Conclusion. Ilizarov Treatment is lengthy, difficult, fraught with complications, and a technically demanding procedure. However, the complications did not affect the final outcome too much. Ilizarov method also offers the advantage of performing many additional procedures for other associated lower limb deformity. We believe that the bloodless technique using Ilizarov external fixator is an effective method in treating relapsed or neglected club foot deformities

Aims

The Ponseti method is an effective evidence-based treatment for clubfoot. It uses gentle manipulation to adjust the position of the foot in serial treatments towards a more physiological position. Casting is used to hold the newly achieved position. At first, the foot resists the new position imposed by the plaster cast, pressing against the cast, but over time the tissues are expected to adapt to the new position and the force decreases. The aim of this study was to test this hypothesis by measuring the forces between a clubfoot and the cast during treatment with the Ponseti method.

Children with congenital vertical talus (CVT) have been treated with extensive soft-tissue releases, with a high rate of complications. Recently, reverse Ponseti-type casting followed by percutaneous reduction and fixation has been described, with excellent results in separate cohorts of children with CVT, of either idiopathic or teratological aetiology. There are currently no studies that compare the outcome in these two types. We present a prospective cohort of 13 children (21 feet) with CVT of both idiopathic and teratological aetiology, in which this technique has been used. Clinical, radiological and parent-reported outcomes were obtained at a mean follow-up of 36 months (8 to 57). Six children (nine feet) had associated neuromuscular conditions or syndromes; the condition was idiopathic in seven children (12 feet).

Initial correction was achieved in all children, with significant improvement in all radiological parameters. Recurrence was seen in ten feet. Modification of the technique to include limited capsulotomy at the initial operation may reduce the risk of recurrence.

The reverse Ponseti-type technique is effective in the initial correction of CVT of both idiopathic and teratological aetiology. Recurrence is a problem in both these groups, with higher rates than first reported in the original paper. However, these rates are less than those reported after open surgical release.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:274–8.

Aims

Following the introduction of national standards in 2009, most major paediatric trauma is now triaged to specialist units offering combined orthopaedic and plastic surgical expertise. We investigated the management of open tibia fractures at a paediatric trauma centre, primarily reporting the risk of infection and rate of union.

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There is increasing evidence that flexible flatfoot (FF) can lead to symptoms and impairment in health-related quality of life. As such we undertook an observational study investigating the aetiology of this condition, to help inform management. The hypothesis was that as well as increased body mass index (BMI) and increased flexibility of the lower limb, an absent anterior subtalar articulation would be associated with a flatter foot posture.